U.S. patent number 6,319,045 [Application Number 09/598,383] was granted by the patent office on 2001-11-20 for connecting structure for connectors in couples.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Yazaki Corporation. Invention is credited to Toru Ikeda, Masahiro Sawayanagi, Chieko Torii.
United States Patent |
6,319,045 |
Sawayanagi , et al. |
November 20, 2001 |
Connecting structure for connectors in couples
Abstract
A connecting structure is provided for miniaturizing a substrate
connector. The substrate connector 37 is fitted to a wiring
substrate 17 accommodated in a meter casing 15. The meter casing 15
is provided with a guide part 15b which operates as a guide for a
mating connector 41 when it is engaged with the substrate connector
37. Owing to the provision of the guide part 15b, it is possible to
prevent the mating connector 41 from being engaged with the
substrate connector 37 while the connector 41 is inclined to the
connector 37.
Inventors: |
Sawayanagi; Masahiro
(Shizuoka-ken, JP), Ikeda; Toru (Shizuoka-ken,
JP), Torii; Chieko (Shizuoka-ken, JP) |
Assignee: |
Yazaki Corporation (Tokyo,
JP)
|
Family
ID: |
16083333 |
Appl.
No.: |
09/598,383 |
Filed: |
June 21, 2000 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
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|
|
|
|
Jun 25, 1999 [JP] |
|
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11-180443 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
439/374; 439/34;
439/76.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60K
37/02 (20130101); B60K 2370/46 (20190501); H01R
12/712 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B60K
37/02 (20060101); H01R 013/64 () |
Field of
Search: |
;439/374,34,76.1,76.2,78,83,926 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Luebke; Renee
Assistant Examiner: Figueroa; Felix O.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow,
Garrett & Dunner, L.L.P.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A connecting structure for a substrate connector and a mating
connector to be mated with the substrate connector, the substrate
connector having at least one terminal and a terminal retainer for
carrying the terminal, the connecting structure comprising:
an instrument casing; and
a wiring substrate fitted to the instrument casing, the wiring
substrate having one surface opposing the instrument casing and the
other surface having the substrate connector fitted thereon;
wherein the instrument casing and the wiring substrate are together
provided with respective insertion parts which allow the mating
connector to be inserted thereinto when the mating connector is
engaged with the substrate connector; and
the insertion part of the instrument casing has a guide part formed
to extend toward the wiring substrate, for guiding the insertion of
the mating connector being engaged with the substrate
connector.
2. A connecting structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
terminal retainer of the substrate connector comprises:
a bottom part substantially parallel with the wiring substrate;
and
a hood part extending from the periphery of the bottom part toward
the wiring substrate thereby to cover a periphery of one end of the
terminal and guide the insertion of the mating connector being
engaged with the substrate connector.
3. A connecting structure as claimed in claim 2, wherein the guide
part of the instrumental casing has a leading end in contact with
one surface of the wiring substrate, while the hood part of the
substrate connector has a leading end in contact with the other
surface of the wiring substrate.
4. A connecting structure as claimed in claim 3, wherein the
insertion part of the wiring substrate comprises a through-hole
arranged in alignment with the guide part of the instrument casing
and the hood part of the substrate connector, for allowing the
mating connector to pass.
5. A connecting structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
instrumental casing is an automotive meter casing having a bottom
part on which the wiring substrate is mounted.
6. A connecting structure as claimed in claim 5, further comprising
a fixing plate for fixing the wiring substrate in the automotive
meter casing, wherein the fixing plate is accommodated in the
automotive meter casing, so that the wiring substrate is pinched
between the bottom part of the automotive meter casing and the
fixing plate.
7. A connecting structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mating
connector is provided with a pair of ribs, one rib on each side of
the mating connector, and wherein the substrate connector is
provided with a pair of grooves, one groove on each side of the
substrate connector, for engagement with the ribs in pairs.
8. A connecting structure as claimed in claim 7, wherein the
instrumental casing and the wiring substrate are respectively
provided with grooves allowing the ribs to be inserted
thereinto.
9. A connecting structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
terminal retainer of the substrate connector comprises a terminal
retainer plate substantially parallel with the wiring substrate and
wherein the guide part of the instrumental casing is inserted into
the insertion part of the wiring substrate and further extended so
that a leading end of the guide part reaches the periphery of the
terminal retainer plate.
10. A connecting structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
terminal of the substrate connector has one end projecting from the
wiring substrate and soldered to a conductor on the wiring
substrate.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connecting structure for
connectors in couples. Particularly, the present invention relates
to a connecting structure for a connector for a substrate and
another connector to be mated with the connector, the former
connector being fitted on one surface of the wiring substrate and
the latter connector being engaged with the former connector via a
through-hole formed in the wiring substrate. Note, the former
connector (i.e. connector for wiring substrate) will be referred as
"substrate connector", while the latter connector (i.e. connector
to be mated with the substrate connector) will be referred as
"mating connector".
2. Description of the Related Art
As one example of the prior art, FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a
conventional substrate connector 1 and FIG. 2 is a cross sectional
view showing the substrate connector 1 fitted on a wiring substrate
3. In the substrate connector 1, a housing 5 is provided with a fit
hole 5a for engagement with the mating connector 7. A plurality of
male terminals 9 are accommodated in the fit hole 5a. Being
embedded in a hood part 5c of the housing 5, each male terminal 9
extends from a bottom 5b of the housing 5 to the open side of the
fit hole 5a. That is, each male terminal 9 has one end projecting
into the fit hole 5a and the other end as a leader end 9a which
projects from the substrate 3 and which is fixed to a conductor on
the substrate 3 through a solder 11.
In connecting the mating connector 7 with the substrate connector
1, the mating connector 7 is fitted from the opposite side of the
substrate connector 1 into the fit hole 5a through a through-hole
3a formed in the wiring substrate 3, as shown in FIG. 2.
In the above-mentioned connecting structure of the prior art
substrate connector 1, however, there is a possibility that the
mating connector 7 is forcibly engaged with the substrate connector
1 despite the mating connector's inclination to the substrate
connector 1, namely, an occurrence of "improper mating". In order
to avoid the occurrence of improper mating, the substrate connector
1 has the hood part 5c formed to have a relatively long height H
and correspondingly, the male terminals 9 are long in full
lengths.
For the above reasons, since the substrate connector 1 is
large-sized as a whole, there may be caused an impossibility to
establish the substrate connector 1 in an appropriate position
because of various restrictions while causing the rising of
manufacturing cost.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Under the circumstances, it is therefore an object of the present
invention to provide a small-sized substrate connector.
The object of the present invention described above can be
accomplished by a connecting structure for a substrate connector
and a mating connector to be mated with the substrate connector,
the substrate connector having at least one terminal and a terminal
retainer for carrying the terminal. The connecting structure
comprises an instrument casing and a wiring substrate fitted to the
instrument casing, the wiring substrate having one surface opposing
the instrument casing and the other surface having the substrate
connector fitted thereon. The connecting structure characterized in
that the instrument casing and the wiring substrate are together
provided with respective insertion parts which allow the mating
connector to be inserted thereinto when the mating connector is
engaged with the substrate connector and that the insertion part of
the instrument casing has a guide part formed to extend toward the
wiring substrate, for guiding the insertion of the mating connector
being engaged with the substrate connector.
In the operation of the connecting structure, when the mating
connector is engaged with the substrate connector attached to the
wiring substrate from the outside of the instrument casing, the
mating connector is inserted into the insertion part of the
instrument casing and subsequently guided by the guide part of the
instrument casing.
According to the second aspect of the invention, the terminal
retainer of the substrate connector comprises a bottom part in
substantially parallel with the wiring substrate and a hood part
extending from the periphery of the bottom part toward the wiring
substrate thereby to cover the periphery of one end of the terminal
and guide the insertion of the mating connector being engaged with
the substrate connector.
With the above-mentioned constitution, the mating connector is
engaged with the substrate connector under the guidance of the
guide part of the instrument casing and also the hood part of the
substrate connector.
According to the third aspect of the invention, the guide part of
the instrument casing has a leading end in contact with one surface
of the wiring substrate, while the hood part of the substrate
connector has a leading end in contact with the other surface of
the wiring substrate.
With the above constitution, the wiring substrate butts against the
leading end of the guide part of the instrument casing in process
of fitting the wiring substrate to the instrument casing.
Consequently, the guide part of the instrument casing, the
insertion part of the wiring substrate and the hood part of the
substrate connector do constitute a successive guide for inserting
the mating connector into the substrate connector.
According to the fourth aspect of the invention, the insertion part
of the wiring substrate comprises a through-hole arranged in
alignment with the guide part of the instrument casing and the hood
part of the substrate connector, for allowing the mating connector
to pass.
In this case, the above successive guide is constituted by the
guide part, the through-hole of the wiring substrate and the hood
part.
According to the fifth aspect of the invention, the terminal
retainer of the substrate connector comprises a terminal retainer
plate in substantially parallel with the wiring substrate and
wherein the guide part of the instrument casing is inserted into
the insertion part of the wiring substrate and further extended so
that the leading end of the guide part reaches the periphery of the
terminal retainer plate.
In this case, the guide part of the instrument casing can act in
the hood part's place in the terminal retaining part of the
substrate connector.
According to the sixth aspect of the invention, the instrumental
casing is an automotive meter casing having a bottom part on which
the wiring substrate is mounted.
With the attainment of miniaturization of the substrate connector,
it is also possible to provide a compact automotive meter
casing.
According to the seventh aspect of the invention, the connecting
structure further comprises a fixing plate for fixing the wiring
substrate in the automotive meter casing, wherein the fixing plate
is accommodated in the automotive meter casing, so that the wiring
substrate is pinched between the bottom part of the automotive
meter casing and the fixing plate.
In this case, owing to the provision of the fixing plate, the
wiring substrate can be stably accommodated in the automotive meter
casing.
According to the eighth aspect of the invention, the terminal of
the substrate connector has one end projecting from the wiring
substrate and soldered to a conductor on the wiring substrate.
By soldering the end of the terminal to the wiring substrate, the
integration between the substrate connector and the wiring
substrate can be further enhanced.
According to the ninth aspect of the invention, the mating
connector is provided, on both sides thereof, with a pair of ribs
and wherein the substrate connector is provided, on both sides
thereof, with a pair of grooves for engagement with the ribs in
pairs.
Owing to the provision of the ribs and the grooves, it is possible
to prevent the erroneous insertion of the mating connector into the
substrate connector.
According to the tenth aspect of the invention, the instrument
casing and the wiring substrate are respectively provided with
grooves allowing the ribs to be inserted thereinto.
Also in this case, owing to the further provision of the grooves in
the instrument casing and the wiring substrate, the smooth
insertion of the mating connector can be attained while avoiding
the erroneous insertion.
These and other objects and features of the present invention will
become more fully apparent from the following description and
appended claims taken in conjunction with the accompany
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing one example of a conventional
substrate connector;
FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the substrate connector of FIG.
1, which is fitted to a wiring substrate;
FIG. 3 is a sectional view of an automotive meter equipped with a
connecting structure of a substrate connector in accordance with
one embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the substrate connector and another
connector to be mated with the substrate connector;
FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of an essential part of FIG.
3;
FIG. 6 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 5, showing another
embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the substrate connector used in the
connecting structure of the substrate connector of FIG. 6;
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a male terminal of the substrate
connector of FIG. 7;
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a retainer plate of the substrate
connector of FIG. 7;
FIG. 10 is an enlarged sectional view of the retainer plate, taken
along a line of 10--10 of FIG. 9;
FIG. 11 is a partial sectional view of the retainer plate of FIG.
10, also showing the male terminals being fitted to respective
"press fitting" holes in the retainer plate.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Embodiments of the present invention will be described with
reference to the drawings.
FIG. 3 is a sectional view of an automotive meter equipped with a
connecting structure of a substrate connector in accordance with
one embodiment of the invention. A meter casing 15 as an instrument
casing is opened on its front side corresponding to the left hand
in the figure. Since a wiring substrate 17 and a fixing plate 19
are inserted into the meter casing 15 through the opened side, the
wiring substrate 17 is securely pinched between the fixing plate 19
and the bottom of the meter casing 15.
A dial plate 21 is disposed on a surface of the fixing plate 19 on
the opposite side of the wiring substrate 17. The dial plate 21 is
pinched and secured between the fixing plate 19 and a facing member
23 fitted so as to cover the front opening of the meter casing 15.
Further, a front glass 25 is fitted on the front side of the facing
member 23.
On the wiring substrate 17, there are respectively attached a
movement 29 for driving to rotate a needle 27 on the dial plate 21,
an illumination valve 31 for lighting up the needle 27 and a valve
33 for illuminating a designed part for warning display etc. The
light from the illumination valve 31 is transmitted to the needle
27 through the intermediary of an optical transmission plate 35
fitted on the back face of the dial plate 21.
On the wiring substrate 17, a substrate connector 37 is fitted on
the wiring substrate's side to the fixing plate 19 and also on the
upside of FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 4 in perspective, the substrate
connector 37 includes a housing 39 as a terminal retainer. The
housing 39 is provided with a fit hole 39a to which a mating
connector 41 is to be fitted. A plurality of male terminals 43 are
accommodated in the fit hole 39a. Each male terminal 43 is
partially bent and embedded in a bottom part 39b and a lateral part
39c constituting a hood part of the housing 39. The male terminal
43 is drawn so as to project to the opened side of the fit hole
39a, providing a leader end 43a of the terminal 43.
As shown in FIG. 5 enlarging the essential part of FIG. 3, the
leader end 43a is inserted into a terminal insertion hole 17a of
the wiring substrate 17 and soldered to an inductor on the back
side (i.e. the right side of FIGS. 3 and 5) of the substrate 17 by
means of a solder 45. In this way, the substrate connector 37 is
fitted on the wiring substrate 17. In this fitting condition, the
leading end of the hood part 39c of the housing 39 butts against
the back face of the wiring substrate 17, while the fit hole 39a is
adjusted so as to be in alignment with a through-hole 17b (as the
insertion part) formed in the substrate 17 and also another
through-hole 15a (as the insertion part) formed in the meter casing
15. With the arrangement, the mating connector 41 is fitted to the
substrate connector 37 through the respective through-holes 15a,
17b.
The meter casing 15 is provided, around the whole circumference of
the through-hole 15a, with a guide part 15b which extends toward
the wiring substrate 17. The leading end of the guide part 15b
butts against the back face of the wiring substrate 17.
The sum of height H1 of the guide part 15b and height H2 of the
hood part 39c of the housing 39 of the substrate connector 37 is
generally equal to the height H of the hood part 5c of the housing
5 of the conventional substrate connector 1 of FIGS. 1 and 2. With
the establishment of heights, it is possible to prevent the mating
connector 41 from being forcibly fitted to the substrate connector
37 while the connector 41 is being inclined to the connector 37, in
other words, the occurrence of improper mating.
As shown in FIG. 4, a pair of ribs 41a, 41a are formed on both
sides of the connector 41 in the direction of width (also formed on
the connector's upper face in the figure). On the upper face of the
connector 41, an engagement projection 41b is also formed between
the opposing ribs 41a, 41a. In connection, the above ribs 41a are
inserted into grooves 39d formed in the substrate connector 37
thereby to prevent the occurrence of incomplete engagement between
the connectors 37, 41. Then, the engagement projection 41b is
engaged in an engagement recess 39e formed on a sidewall defining
the fit hole 39a, thereby preventing the connector 41 from slipping
off the connector 37. Corresponding to the ribs 41a, the meter
casing 15 and the wiring substrate 17 are respectively provided
with not-shown grooves into which the ribs 41a are to be
inserted.
In the operation of the above-mentioned connecting structure, when
the mating connector 41 is engaged with the substrate connector 37,
the insertion of the mating connector 41 is first guided by the
guide part 15b of the meter casing 15 and subsequently, the
connector 41 is fitted into the fit hole 39a through the
through-hole 17b of the wiring substrate 17 under the guidance of
the hood part 39c of the housing 39.
Thus, owing to the provision of the meter casing 15 with the guide
part 15b serving as a guide for the mating connector 41, it is
possible to reduce the height H2 of the hood part 39c also guiding
the insertion of the mating connector 41 in comparison with the
height H of the conventional hood part 5c shown in FIGS. 1 and 2
and correspondingly, it is also possible to shorten the full
lengths of the male terminals 43 thereby to accomplish the
miniaturization of the substrate connector 37 and the reduction in
manufacturing cost. With the attainment of miniaturization, the
connecting structure of the invention can be installed in a
narrower area with the improved applicability.
FIG. 6 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 5, showing another
embodiment of the invention. According to this embodiment, as shown
in FIG. 7, a substrate connector 47 is provided, as the previous
terminal retainer, with a terminal retainer plate 51. The terminal
retainer plate 51 is arranged in substantial parallel with a wiring
substrate 49 under condition that the plate 51 is fitted to the
wiring substrate 49. A plurality of male terminals 53 are
press-fitted into the terminal retainer plate 51.
As the insertion part of the instrument casing, a meter casing 55
has a through-hole 55a for receiving the mating connector (not
shown). The meter casing 55 has a guide part 55b formed around the
full periphery of the through-hole 55a so as to extend from the
through-hole 55a up to the periphery of the terminal retainer plate
51. That is, the guide part 55b operates as a hood part for the
substrate connector 47. Substrate 49 has an insertion hole 49a
through which the meter casing 55 passes.
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the single male terminal 53 and
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the terminal retainer plate 51. The
male terminal 53 includes a fitting part 53a and a fixing part 53b.
The fitting part 53a is positioned in a fitting chamber 57 (FIG. 6)
surrounded by the guide part 55b, for engagement with a not-shown
female terminal of the mating connector. The fixing part 53b is
bent so as to be parallel with the fitting part 53a outside the
guide. Fixing part 53b is also provided with a leading end inserted
into a terminal insertion hole 49b of the wiring substrate 49.
Note, the leading end of the fixing part 53b is fixed to an
conductor (not shown) on the wiring substrate 49 by means of a
solder 59.
As shown in FIG. 8, the male terminal 53 of the substrate connector
47 has a press-fit part 63 formed between the bending part and the
fitting part 53a. The press-fit part 63 is fitted into a press-fit
hole 61 formed in the terminal retainer plate 51 under pressure.
The press-fit part 63 includes a first stepped part 63a of larger
width than the fitting part 53a and a second stepped part 63b of
larger width than the first stepped part 63a. Corresponding to the
formation of the press-fit part 63, the press-fit hole 61 of the
terminal retainer plate 51 is provided with a first stepped fitting
part 61a for engagement with the first stepped part 63a and a
second stepped fitting part 61b for engagement with the second
stepped part 63b, as shown in FIG. 10. FIG. 11 shows a condition
where the respective press-fit parts 63 of the male terminals 53
are closely fitted into the press-fit holes 61 from the upside of
the terminal retainer plate 51.
In the operation of to the above-mentioned connecting structure,
when the mating connector is engaged with the substrate connector
47, the insertion of the mating connector can be guided by the
guide part 55b of the meter casing 55. Then, since the substrate
connector 47 is constituted by the terminal retainer plate 51 while
abolishing the hood part as shown in FIG. 5, it is possible to
progress the miniaturization and lightweight of the substrate
connector 47.
It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the
foregoing description are preferred embodiments of the disclosed
connecting structure. Various changes and modifications may be made
to the present invention without departing from the scope of the
invention.
* * * * *